University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Staff Directory
Kyle Cefalo
- Title:
- Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
Kyle Cefalo joins the staff as assistant head coach as well as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He was hired in December, 2025 for coach Blake Anderson
Cefalo joins the Southern Miss personnel after spending the last season at California, serving as wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator. In his lone season at Cal, the Bears ranked No. 17 in the country in passing yards at 275.8 yards per game and Jacob De Jesus ranked second in the nation in both receiving yards (1,029) and catches per game (8.31). The Bears finished the season 7-6 and an appearance in the Hawai’i Bowl.
Cefalo also has made stops at Arkansas State, Maryland and Utah State. During his time as an offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, Cefalo has been part of six teams that have been ranked in the top 25 nationally in both total offense and passing offense.
Three of his teams have been ranked in the top 10 in the country in passing offense, including the No. 2-rated squad in passing offense when he was the wide receivers coach and special teams co-coordinator at Arkansas State in 2020. During his tenure as offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach at Utah State, Cefalo directed a unit this past season that produced 467.7 yards per game – which ranks seventh in the nation and second in the Mountain West Conference.
He coached two Associated Press Second Team All-Americans and Biletnikoff Award semifinalists at Arkansas State – Omar Bayless in 2019 and Jonathan Adams Jr. in 2020. Adams was also the 2020 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year. Utah State's Deven Thompkins was also a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist, Third Team All-American and First Team All-Mountain West performer in 2021. He finished second in the country with 1,704 receiving yards and currently plays for the Carolina Panthers. Jalen Royals was a Third Team All-American under Cefalo's guidance in 2023 for the Aggies, when he ranked second nationally with 15 touchdown catches. Royals was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025.
Cefalo began his coaching career at Arkansas State in 2013 and spent three seasons there as a graduate assistant – the first of which he worked under then-Red Wolves head coach Bryan Harsin. Cefalo was also a grad assistant at Maryland in 2016 before returning to Arkansas State as inside wide receivers coach in 2017.
He moved on to Utah State in 2021 as the Aggies' wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator before becoming the program's co-offensive coordinator in 2023. In 2024, he took over sole offensive coordinator duties for Utah State. During his coaching tenure, Cefalo has been involved in 11 bowl games and three conference championships.
Cefalo played wide receiver for the University of Colorado from 2009-13.
Cefalo joins the Southern Miss personnel after spending the last season at California, serving as wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator. In his lone season at Cal, the Bears ranked No. 17 in the country in passing yards at 275.8 yards per game and Jacob De Jesus ranked second in the nation in both receiving yards (1,029) and catches per game (8.31). The Bears finished the season 7-6 and an appearance in the Hawai’i Bowl.
Cefalo also has made stops at Arkansas State, Maryland and Utah State. During his time as an offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, Cefalo has been part of six teams that have been ranked in the top 25 nationally in both total offense and passing offense.
Three of his teams have been ranked in the top 10 in the country in passing offense, including the No. 2-rated squad in passing offense when he was the wide receivers coach and special teams co-coordinator at Arkansas State in 2020. During his tenure as offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach at Utah State, Cefalo directed a unit this past season that produced 467.7 yards per game – which ranks seventh in the nation and second in the Mountain West Conference.
He coached two Associated Press Second Team All-Americans and Biletnikoff Award semifinalists at Arkansas State – Omar Bayless in 2019 and Jonathan Adams Jr. in 2020. Adams was also the 2020 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year. Utah State's Deven Thompkins was also a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist, Third Team All-American and First Team All-Mountain West performer in 2021. He finished second in the country with 1,704 receiving yards and currently plays for the Carolina Panthers. Jalen Royals was a Third Team All-American under Cefalo's guidance in 2023 for the Aggies, when he ranked second nationally with 15 touchdown catches. Royals was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025.
Cefalo began his coaching career at Arkansas State in 2013 and spent three seasons there as a graduate assistant – the first of which he worked under then-Red Wolves head coach Bryan Harsin. Cefalo was also a grad assistant at Maryland in 2016 before returning to Arkansas State as inside wide receivers coach in 2017.
He moved on to Utah State in 2021 as the Aggies' wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator before becoming the program's co-offensive coordinator in 2023. In 2024, he took over sole offensive coordinator duties for Utah State. During his coaching tenure, Cefalo has been involved in 11 bowl games and three conference championships.
Cefalo played wide receiver for the University of Colorado from 2009-13.
Southern Miss vs. Louisiana - Full Game Hightlights
Friday, December 19
Blake Anderson Introductory Press Conference
Monday, December 15
2025 Bowl Practice Press Conference
Wednesday, December 10
Full Highlights - Southern Miss vs. Grambling State
Tuesday, December 09
